“Ama-la!” A telltale grin escapes from Lanying’s face.
We must have walked in the middle of her telling a most entertaining story, for the circle of nuns in front of her is slapping their knees and holding their bellies with laughter.
The abbess waves her hand at the red-robed bustle scattered around. “Lanying!” Her voice pitches, her eyebrows draw down.
“Would you believe this bunch of boisterous nuns?” Her voice carries a restrained edge as her eyes flash from the nuns to Lanying. “You put all my disciplinary efforts to shame with your fantastic tales of faraway travels.” She sighs, a stern stare on her face. “What to do with you all?”
A suspended silence crashes down on the earth-beaten floor as she looks around the row of bowed heads. I hold my breath, for I know this situation
